1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a rotatable, tiltable and movable seat, in general, and to such movable seats which are used in close quarters, for example, in vehicles or the like, in particular.
2. Prior Art
It is well known to those experienced in designing and manufacturing various seating apparatus such as those used in vehicles and so forth, that considerable difficulty can be experienced by persons when entering or leaving a vehicle. This difficulty can be produced in so-called ordinary conditions because of the tendency of a person's clothes to "stick" to the seat and prevent the sliding movement necessary for getting in or out of the seat. This problem is exascerbated when the seat is disposed in a relatively small space or close quarters. A typical problem is encountered in the driver's or operator's seat of a vehicle wherein the steering apparatus of a vehicle can be in the way.
While the problem is most often encountered in automobiles, it is also a problem in airplanes, boats or other environments with limited space.
In addition, there is a significant difference in the height, leg length and body proportions of various persons. These differences can be a problem in entering or operating a vehicle such as an automobile. In similar fashion, the tendency for current design criterion is to produce cars with lower profiles and, consequently, lower seats. With these lower seats, entering and leaving the vehicle is inconvenient, annoying and, frequently, difficult.
Also, the problem can be exaggerated in the case of a handicapped or disabled person who needs additional room, leverage, or the like in embarking or disembarking from a seat in a vehicle.
It is known in the art to provide seats which produce a seat support assembly. These seats usually have a floor engaging apparatus or assembly. Moreover, the seats known in the art tend to move backward and forward as a minimum and upwardly and downwardly in more advanced embodiments. In addition, it is known in the art to have the seats controlled by motors so that the raising and lowering, as well as the movement back and forth, can be controlled easily and readily by the operator.
In addition, there are seats which are known to swivel about an axis thereof. However, most of the seats which are known in the prior art are relatively bulky and difficult to operate. Few, if any of the seats known in the prior art combine all of the features of up/down, back/forth, rotation and tilting of a seat thereby to assist a person, in particular an infirm or disabled person, while using the seat.